Aubrieta plant named ‘ABRZ0004’

ABSTRACT

A new  Aubrieta  plant named ‘ABRZ0004’ particularly distinguished by its burgundy flowers, a compact and mounding habit with strong vigor, and a good winter hardiness.

Latin name of the genus and species of the plant claimed: Aubrietahybrida.

Varietal denomination: ‘ABRZ0004’.

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW PLANT

The present invention comprises a new Aubrieta, botanically known asAubrieta hybrida and hereinafter referred to by the variety name‘ABRZ0004’.

‘ABRZ0004’ is a product of a planned breeding program. The new cultivar‘ABRZ0004’ has burgundy flowers, a compact and mounding habit withstrong vigor, and is good winter hardy.

‘ABRZ0004’ originates from a hybridization in a controlled breedingprogram in a greenhouse in Enkhuizen, The Netherlands. The female parentwas an unpatented, proprietary plant identified as ‘L2011-1’ with deepred flowers and less branching compared to ‘ABRZ0004’.

The male parent of ‘ABRZ0004’ was an unpatented, proprietary plantidentified as ‘M1882-3’ with a deep purple flower color, more branching,and later flowering compared to ‘ABRZ0004’. The resultant seed was sownin August 2010 in a greenhouse in Enkhuizen, The Netherlands.

‘ABRZ0004’ was selected as one flowering plant within the progeny of thestated cross in March 2011 in a greenhouse in Enkhuizen, TheNetherlands.

The first act of asexual reproduction of ‘ABRZ0004’ was accomplishedwhen vegetative cuttings were propagated from the initial selection inJune 2011 in a greenhouse in Enkhuizen, The Netherlands.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF INVENTION

Horticultural examination of plants grown from cuttings of the plantinitiated in August 2011 in Enkhuizen, The Netherlands, and continuingthereafter, has demonstrated that the combination of characteristics asherein disclosed for ‘ABRZ0004’ are firmly fixed and are retainedthrough successive generations of asexual reproduction.

‘ABRZ0004’ has not been observed under all possible environmentalconditions. The phenotype may vary significantly with variations inenvironment such as temperature, light intensity, and day length.

A Plant Breeder's Right for this cultivar was applied for in theEuropean Union on May 27, 2015 and assigned application number2015/1068. ‘ABRZ0004’ has not been made publicly available more than oneyear prior to the filing of this application.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe basic characteristics of the new variety. The combination of thesecharacteristics distinguishes this Aubrieta as a new and distinctvariety.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying photographic drawing shows typical flower and foliagecharacteristics of ‘ABRZ0004’ with colors being as true as possible withan illustration of this type.

The photographic drawing shows in FIG. 1 a close-up of the flowers.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The plant descriptions and measurements were taken in Enkhuizen, TheNetherlands under natural light in March 2015. These plants wereapproximately 22 weeks old and were growing in 13 cm pots, inshade-house trials.

The plants used for the photographs were about 22 weeks old, grown inEnkhuizen, The Netherlands and taken in March 2015.

Color Chart used: Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart (R.H.S.) 2001

TABLE 1 DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE NEW VARIETY ‘ABRZ0004’ AND A SIMILARVARIETY ‘Axcent Lilac’ (Not ‘ABRZ0004’ patented) Plant shape: VigorousCompact Earliness: 2 weeks earlier Later Flower color: Deeper burgundyMore deep red

-   Plant:    -   -   Form, growth and habit.—Mounding, spreading.        -   Plant height.—7 cm.        -   Plant height (inflorescence included).—11 cm.        -   Plant width.—18 cm.-   Roots:    -   -   Number of days to initiate roots.—About 6 days at 18 degrees            C.        -   Number of days to produce a rooted cutting.—2.5 weeks at 18            degrees C.        -   Type.—Fine, fibrous, free branching.        -   Color.—RHS N155B but whiter.-   Foliage:    -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate.        -   Immature, leaf color, upper surface.—RHS 137A.        -   Immature, leaf color, lower surface.—RHS 138A.        -   Mature, leaf color, upper surface.—RHS 137A.        -   Mature, leaf color, lower surface.—RHS 138A-B.        -   Length.—2.5-3 cm.        -   Width.—1.5 cm.        -   Shape.—Oblanceolate.        -   Base shape.—Attenuate.        -   Apex shape.—Mucronulate.        -   Margin.—Medium dentation.        -   Texture.—Hirtellous.        -   Color of veins, upper surface.—RHS N144D.        -   Color of veins, lower surface.—RHS N144D.        -   Pattern of veining.—Pinnate.        -   Petioles color.—RHS N144D.        -   Petioles length.—0.5-1 cm.        -   Diameter of petiole.—0.5-0.6 cm.        -   Texture.—Pubescent.-   Stem:    -   -   Color of stem.—RHS 147D.        -   Length of stem.—5-7 cm.        -   Diameter.—0.2 cm.        -   Length of internodes.—0.5 cm.        -   Texture.—Pilose.        -   Color of peduncle.—RHS 145B, at the base, to RHS 144B.        -   Length of peduncle.—2.5-3 cm.        -   Peduncle diameter.—0.2 cm.        -   Texture.—Pilose.        -   Color of pedicel.—RHS 144B to RHS 187A.        -   Length of pedicel.—1.2-1.5 cm.        -   Diameter of pedicel.—0.1 cm.        -   Texture.—Pubescent.-   Inflorescence:    -   -   Type: flowers.—Single, cruciform, composed of 4 petals,            flowers held above the plant.        -   Number of flowers per inflorescence.—7-15.        -   Quantity of inflorescences per plant.—About 38.        -   Lastingness of individual blooms on the plant.—15 days.        -   Fragrance.—Very light.-   Bud (just before opening/showing color):    -   -   Color of the sepals.—RHS N186D, mostly at the base, mixed            with RHS 143C.        -   Length.—1.2 cm.        -   Width.—0.5 cm.        -   Shape.—Oblong.-   Corolla:    -   -   Immature inflorescence.—        -   Diameter.—2 cm.        -   Color petals, upper surface.—RHS N78A, very deep, more            intense than when mature.        -   Color petals, lower surface.—RHS N79C.        -   Mature inflorescence.—        -   Form.—Rounded.        -   Flower diameter.—2.5-3 cm.        -   Depth of flower.—1.5 cm.        -   Number of petals.—4.        -   Color petals, upper surface.—RHS N78A, deep.        -   Color petals, lower surface.—RHS N78A.        -   Length of petals.—1.3-1.5 cm.        -   Width of petals.—1.8 cm.        -   Petal shape.—Spathulate.        -   Shape characteristics.—1 to 3 of the petals deeply divided            all the way down the attachment.        -   Apex shape.—Rounded.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Corolla texture, inside.—Glabrous, papillose.        -   Corolla texture, outside.—Glabrous, papillose.        -   Corolla tube color inside.—RHS 154D+RHS 70B in the middle.        -   Corolla tube, color outside.—RHS N144D+RHS 70B in the            middle.        -   Duration of flowering.—Continuous flowering throughout the            Spring until end of May.-   Calyx:    -   -   Number of sepals.—4.        -   Color of sepals.—RHS N79B.        -   Length of sepals.—1-1.1 cm.        -   Width of sepals.—0.3-0.5 cm.        -   Sepal shape: 2 types.—2 are oblanceolate situated on the            opposite of each other, and 2 are oblong, also on the            opposite of each other. The particularity is that the 2            oblong sepals are swollen at the base.        -   Apex shape.—For the oblanceolate shaped sepals: Obtuse. For            the oblong ones: Acute.        -   Margins.—Entire.        -   Texture, inner/upper surface.—Smooth. Outer/lower surface:            Stellate hairs.        -   Base.—Fused.-   Reproductive organs:    -   -   Gynoecium.—        -   Pistil quantity.—1.        -   Length.—1 cm.        -   Style color.—RHS 145B with red just under the stigma RHS            171A.        -   Style length.—0.4 cm.        -   Stigma color.—RHS N145B.        -   Stigma shape.—Disc shaped.        -   Ovary color.—0.3-0.5 cm/RHS 144B.        -   Androecium.—        -   Number of stamens.—6.        -   Length of stamens.—0.8-1 cm.        -   Anther color.—2B.        -   Anther length.—0.1 cm.        -   Anther shape.—Ovate.        -   Length filaments.—0.6-0.8 cm.        -   Color of filaments.—RHS N155B to RHS 70B.        -   Pollen amount.—Moderate.        -   Color of pollen.—RHS 3B.        -   Fertility/seed set.—Neither seed nor fruit production has            been observed.        -   Disease/pest resistance.—Resistance to pathogens and pests            common to Aubrieta has not been observed.        -   Drought tolerance and cold tolerance.—Hardy perennial.            Tolerates high temperature to at least 30 degrees C.            Tolerates low temperatures to degrees minus 15 C. No            specific drought tolerance has not been observed.

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct variety of Aubrieta plantnamed ‘ABRZ0004’ substantially as illustrated and described herein.